Partner and Head of the Corporate team at Swinburne Maddison, Martyn Tennant, has been named Corporate Lawyer of the Year at the 2026 North East Dealmakers Awards, marking a significant milestone in the continued growth of the firm’s Corporate team.
The award recognises Martyn Tennant’s leadership on some of the most technically demanding and strategically important transactions completed during the qualifying period, alongside his role in building Swinburne Maddison into one of the region’s most active corporate practices.
It comes during a defining year for the Durham-based law firm. Swinburne Maddison’s Corporate and Commercial team delivered its strongest performance to date during the qualifying period, advising on 22 M&A transactions and ranking as the fifth most active corporate adviser in the North East. It was also the only firm in the regional rankings based outside Newcastle. The team has grown to 15 corporate and commercial professionals, supported by strategic recruitment, internal promotions and continued investment in its next generation of lawyers.
The timing of the award carries particular significance for Martyn Tennant, who became Head of the Corporate and Commercial team in 2011. Over the past 15 years, he has helped transform the department into a deep, multidisciplinary practice capable of leading complex M&A transactions, private equity investments, cross-border acquisitions, corporate restructurings and succession projects from its base in Durham.
That long-term investment in the team was demonstrated by the quality and range of transactions recognised at the awards. Four deals involving Swinburne Maddison were shortlisted across two Deal of the Year categories, two of which were above £20 million, while the firm itself was shortlisted for Corporate Law Firm of the Year.
Among the transactions led by Martyn Tennant was the £31 million private equity-backed sale of Noted Aromas, SE Retail and Malton Holdings to NA Bidco, backed by eComplete and NVM Private Equity.
One of Swinburne Maddison’s largest and most technically demanding transactions to date, the deal involved the simultaneous sale of three companies, multiple funding arrangements, intellectual property issues and a sophisticated retained investment structure. Martyn Tennant led negotiations involving five separate legal teams and coordinated corporate, commercial, intellectual property, employment and property specialists across the firm.
He also led the team advising the shareholders of Quorum Development on its sale to Volue, part of the international Volue ASA group. The cross-border energy technology transaction involved parties in the UK, Norway and Germany and regulatory approval under the National Security and Investment Act 2021.
A third transaction saw Martyn Tennant lead the advice to the shareholders of Tyre Spot on its sale to Micheldever Tyre Services. The transaction was exceptionally complex because of the company’s operations and property interests across 11 sites. It required a pre-sale reorganisation, the separation and leaseback of property assets, the release of bank security and an innovative structure to allow the shares to transfer at completion.
Announcing the award, the judges said:
“Martyn has built the Swinburne Corporate team, establishing it as one of the region’s most active practices. Martyn led on several challenging deals in the qualifying period, the judges noting several as the most technically demanding and strategically significant, while clients praised his pragmatism on complex transactions.”
Martyn Tennant said:
“I am genuinely honoured to receive this award, particularly in a year that has been so significant for our team. When I took on the leadership of the department, the ambition was to build a corporate practice in Durham that could compete for and deliver the most complex work in the regional market. Over the years, we have invested in talented people, developed specialist expertise and built a team capable of advising on transactions of real scale and strategic importance.
“The deals recognised this year show how far we have come. They involved private equity investment, international buyers, sophisticated funding structures, major reorganisations and input from specialists across the firm. None of that work is delivered by one individual. It takes an outstanding team, trusted clients and strong relationships with advisers, investors and funders.
“I am incredibly proud of the people around me and what we have built together. To receive this recognition in 2026, 15 years after establishing the team and during one of our strongest periods to date, makes it particularly special. It gives us an opportunity to celebrate how far we have come, while also looking ahead to the next stage of the team’s growth.”
The award also reflects the wider development of Swinburne Maddison’s Corporate and Commercial practice. Alongside its transactional work, the team advises businesses throughout their lifecycle on investments, reorganisations, employee share schemes, governance, commercial agreements and business succession.
Its growth has been supported by the appointment of Jenny Wade as Partner and Head of Commercial Law, the promotion of senior lawyers within the team and the development of specialist capability in areas including tax-led structuring, incentives and employee ownership. This depth allows the firm to bring together the right corporate, commercial, employment, property and private client expertise around each transaction.
